Erika
by Princess of the Dusk
Summary: Erika is a girl whos life has just been shattered by an accident. An accident that she created...
1. The Middle of The End

Privacy. What she would do for just a bit of privacy. Erika lounged on her bed, thinking about it. It haunts her, as the moon haunts the sun. Not always shining in the front, but always there.

Erika sighed as she brushed much-bitten nails through her hair. One finger got caught in a knot, and she yanked it free. It was an act done harshly, unlike her own life that dwindled to exist.

Not that her life wasn't filled with harshness, no. It most certainly was filled, nearly brimming over with it. A harshness tearing her soul apart, bit by bit, each day by day. A harshness leaving her more and more lost, alone and afraid.

There was only one thing holding Erika down, strapping her to this feeble existence. One thing that had kept her from being completely lost for over a year when she thought that the light was gone. One thing, and his name was James.

"James". A boy so sweet and kind that her lips savored his name. So sincere and thoughtful that her ears longed to hear the whisper of his loving voice. A boy so handsome that...

No. She would not let herself think of James, not today. It might be enough to push her over the edge one last time. Except this time, James wouldn't be there to pull her back in...

Erika got up and started pacing. How had all of this thinking started? Oh, right. Privacy, as it almost always does now...

Life had been nice for Erika before. Not to wonderful, but bearable. A loving, devoted boyfriend, parents that cared for her, friends that trusted her with their lives... All thrown away in one long, fated night...

"Privacy is a privlage. It is clear to us now that you no longer deserve this privilage." The words of her father lingered in Erikas ears. Wisps of smoke on a hazy morning, not noticed by any but her...


	2. Enter Jamie

Erika sat back down onto her bed. If there was anything she didnt want right now, its a trip down memory lane. Mind, it may seem, wins over will sometimes...

It was early summer. Just out of school, it hasn't quite sunken in yet. The part that had sunken in for Erika was that her boyfriend, James, wanted to spend more time with her this summer. That can only lead to more wonderful things happening, right?

"Erika! Over here!" James yelled from across the football field. Erika sighed, once again taking him in. Before she could properly finish looking him over, they had met in the middle of the field. James swooped her up in his arms and kissed her.

"Well, hello to you too!" Erika said when he released her. James always acted as if it had been years since they last saw each other, not days. Time and time again, it never got old to her.

"So, all ready for the movie?" James asked, his eyes twinkling in the afternoon sunlight. Erika sighed, (which she seemed to be doing a lot of lately!)running her fingers through her hair self-consiously. "Couldn't we go see a movie at night like we always do?" She asked playfully, already knowing the answer.

"No, you know that I have something special planned for tonight!" James put his arm around her as they began to walk. "So, aren't you going to ask me what the big surprise is?" he asked, pouting like a sad puppy.

"No, I won't. I know that youre never going to tell me until the time is right for you, so I can wait until then." Erika smiled at him, thinking of just how lucky she was to have a guy like him...

When they reached the theater, James stepped away for a minute to talk with some of his football firends. Almost instantly after he stepped away, one of Erikas friends stepped in to talk for a bit.

"Hey Erika, what's up with you? Seem a little bit... I dunno, out there. But thats just what I'm seein..."

"Jamie, how ya doing? I'm just.. Thinking about James." Erika sighed and twirled her hair around her index finer.

"Oh, stop it you!" Jamie said, "Always dreaming after him... Well, he is fiiiiiiine..." Jamie's face spread out into a devious smile.

"Jamie!" Erika said, prentending to be annoyed. "Mine, remember?"

"You know I'm just joking with ya." Jamie said, snapping back to reality.

"Yeah, but don't make me talk to Rex. It might just /slip/ that you have been longing after my boyfriend since middle school..." Now it was Erika's turn for a demoniic smile to cross her face.

"Well, he DID give me a rose for Valentine's Day in seventh grade. That had to have meant something, right?"

Erika sighed. "Jamie, we've been over this before. He gave one to every girl in homeroom. What was he supposed to do," a smile rose onto her face. "Skip you to say 'sorry, I'm not interested...'?"

Jamie laughed. "You're right, that would have been very embarassing. I'm glad you and James are happy now, like Rex and I..." Jamie's eyes wandered off to look at Rex, and Erika could tell she was daydreaming of their wedding again.

"So, do you think he's going to ask you after graduation?" Jamie snapped back to their conversation when Erika spoke.

"I'm not sure. He's never been a huge fan for any type of commitment, though I /have/ been dropping major hints since before prom." Jamie sighed. "I just don't know. I mean, he wants to go to college, I want to be a stay at home mom. Not sure if he's interested in having kids, or if he wants as many as me..."

Their converstaion trailed off into weddings, honeymoons, and everything from graduation to death. They loved to talk about the future, even though parts of it were so faraway.Finally, the lined started moving and James came back over. "Sorry to break up what must have been a lovely coversation about the difference between off-white and eggshell," he said, rolling his eyes. "But we're ready to go see the movie."

Jamie went back over and walked in with Rex. Erika held James's hand as they walked in. Thinking of what soda to get, she almost didn't notice the man watching her from the doorway.


End file.
